Android Studio 3.5.2 - Error: The apk for your currently selected variant (app-release-unsigned.apk) is not signed

Question

A little background. I have been building/debugging/testing my simple App for a few months with no problems. Build/install on AVD or my actual S9 phone. All worked just fine for months. Now, ready for my first beta release to the Play Store (my first app ever). So, I followed instructions on 'signing' my app. That worked and I uploaded my app bundle to the Play Store. Now I can't build/debug/install at all in Android Studio anymore.

Error: The apk for your currently selected variant (app-release-unsigned.apk) is not signed. Please specify a signing configuration for this variant (release).

Debug (Shift+F9) produces the above error and shows the "Edit configuration" dialog.

I click on the "Fix" button and from there I have no idea what to do. Or how to use these different build configurations.

build.gradle

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    signingConfigs {
        debug {
            storeFile file(var)
            storePassword 'xxx'
            keyAlias = 'xxx'
            keyPassword 'xxx'
        }
    }
    compileSdkVersion 29
    buildToolsVersion "29.0.1"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.birdersdiary.mobile"
        minSdkVersion 15
        targetSdkVersion 29
        versionCode 1
        versionName "b1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.1.0'
    implementation 'androidx.constraintlayout:constraintlayout:1.1.3'
    implementation 'com.google.android.material:material:1.0.0'
    implementation 'androidx.preference:preference:1.1.0'
    implementation 'androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-extensions:2.1.0'
    testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.12'
    androidTestImplementation 'androidx.test:runner:1.2.0'
    androidTestImplementation 'androidx.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.2.0'
}

Once I click on the "FIX" button I am taken to the "Run/Debug Configurations" dialog. And from there it is completely oblivious to me what needs to happen in order to Fix the problem.

Any assistance greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

You should se the singing config after defining it. Though I guess name it something other than debug if you're going to use it for release:

buildTypes {
        release {
           minifyEnabled false
           proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'

           signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
        }
    }